Baseball forges a friendship that spans two continents

AUBURN TOWNSHIP -- When Ty Yurkovich went to Cal Ripken Baseball Camp one summer, he knew he'd come back a better pitcher.

What he didn't know is that he would come back with a lifelong friend.

It's a friendship that hardly started with words. That's because Constant was from France.

"I was playing catch with someone, and it turns out I was playing catch with someone that didn't even speak English!" Ty Yurkovich said.

"At first I was lost, but there was this one guy helping me, and that was Ty," Constant Clermont explained.

Ty and Constant have spent two years at Ripken camp together, but they didn't have to this year.

That's because Constant's team from France packed their bags and flew across the pond to spend time playing America's pastime on American soil.

Constant's Dad, and coach, Gilles Clermont explained that baseball isn't a very popular sport in his country. "Here in ten days we play ten games," said Gilles. He said in France there are very few baseball fields. In America there is one at nearly every school!"

"We were out there on the field teaching them some lead-off and pick-off moves- things they aren't accustomed to in France," said Ty's Dad Dennis. He is an assistant coach for the Lookout's Baseball Team.

The trip took major coordination and cooperation between parents in both Northeast Ohio and in France.

Each French family was hosted by a member of the Lookout's. In addition to playing in baseball games they went to see the Indians Play at Progressive Field.

They toured Kenston Intermediate School and the ballfields there.

The boys, whose friendship helped make the trip possible, hope to see each other again very soon. "This experience is awesome," said Ty. "I love being here with Ty," Constant said.